Diamond dial



, 1929. G. R. DOUGLAS Oct. 1

' DIAMOND DIAL Filed Dec. 21, 1927 H fir I I M 5 may FF INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 1, 1929 nmrlzo STATES GEORGE R. DOUGLAS, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN DIAMOND DIAL Application filed December 21, 1927. Serial No. 241,479;

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a diamond dial used at the diamonds of railroad crossings, and has for its object the provision of a device whereby the'noise incident to the passage of rolling stock over a diamond may be eliminated and whereby the pounding and wear on the rollin stock when crossin the diamond ma be prevented. I

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism adapted for installing on arailroad diamond which, on account of relieving the diamond of the jars and wear, will prevent the loosening and displacement of the diamond connections and obviate the necessity of frequent upkeep and attention.

Another object of the invention is the pro vision of a diamond I having a rotatable lgroove bearing dial adapted to provide an 20 uninterrupted surface for rolling stock travcling over the diamond.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of'a rotatable dial and automatically which form a operated mechanismfor rotating oroscillating the "dialito "its various desired positions. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The inventionwill be best understood by a reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the invention.

- Fig. 2 is a View taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a view taken on line 14: of Fig. 1.

r Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 66 of Figxet.

F ig.7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

In the construction ofthe railroad tracks for rolling stock to pass thereover, it is now customary to use'a frog'or diamond in which the rails extending in each direction are in- 'terrupted to provide the necessary clearance for the flange of the wheels traveling on the part of this specification and rails extended in the opposite direction. This interruption is the cause of the pound ing and noise which it is desired to eliminate.

In the present invention, the diamond comprises the side railsll' and 12 and the cross rails 13 and 14, each of which projects into a pot 15 so that in the diamond where a single set of rails is extended across a single set of rails, there will occur four of these pots, each of these pots being constructed in the same manner so that a description of one will sufilce for all.

'VVhen the device is'used on paved streets, for instance where a railroad track is projected through a city or wherethe device is used on street railways, generally the paving will terminate v substantially flush with the top of the rails, therails themselves being imbedded in the paving. At the diamonds,

there would be provided the necessary re cess for accommodating the operating mechanism. In the present illustration I have shown the invention used in connection with rails whichare positioned on a road bed and not imbedded in paving.

The pot l5'is, as shown clearly in Fig. 6, formed conical and provided at its upper end with an enlarged recess 16 communicating with a smaller recess 17 which terminates in the circular passage 18, the recess 16 being provided with a base to provide a shoulder or engagement surfaceli).

'Rotatably mounted in the pot 15 is a dial 20 having its periphery tapered to snugly engage in the recess 16. Formed chordally of the dial 20 on its upper face is a groove 21 adapted, upon rotation of the dial 20 in the pot 15 to a predetermined position, for registeringwith the slots 22 formed in the upper edge of the pot 15. Projecting downwardly from thedial 20 and rotatably positioned in the passage 18 is a stem 23 which is provided on its periphery with teeth 24 adapted to mesh with the teeth of the rack bar 25 which is slidably projected through the passages 26 and 27 formed in the pot 15.-

Extending outwardly from the pot 15 are the rails '11, 12, 13 and' 14: which are adapted to align with the rails which are extended along the road bed. Rockably mounted on the rails mentioned, at the side of the diamond from which the rolling stock is to approach, is a lever 28 which is connected by the bolt 31, about which is positioned, in embracing relation, the coil spring 32, to one end of the bell crank 33, the other end being connected by the rod34 to the pivotally mounted link which is connected by the rod 36 to one end of the rack bar 25. Mounted fixedly on the rod 36 is an engagement block 38 adapted to engage the corrugations of the leaf spring 37 which is mounted on the base of the rail so as to resist movement of the rack bar in either direction. Connected to the opposite end of the rack bar 25 is a rod 39 which connects to one end of the pivotally mounted link 40, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the rod 41, which, in turn, connects to the rack bar in alignment with the first mentioned rack bar. The rack bar 25 is also connected by the bell crank 45 to a rod 46 which connects intermediate its ends to a bell crank 62 which is connected by a bar 63 to the rack bar 25 positioned in the nearest pot on the opposite rail. The rack bar 25 is similarly connected to anautomatically operated mechanism on the same rail in the manner already described for the connection between the rack bar 27 to the lever 28 on the rail 13. The end of the rod 46 is connected to one end of the rack bar 64, the opposite end of the rack bar 64 is connected to the rod 65 which is connected to a pivotally mounted link 66 which is connected by the rod 67 to a bell crank 68 and connected by a bolt 69 to the lever 28 mounted on the rail 11. A spring 69 embraces the bolt 69.

The lever 28 is so positioned that the wheel 30 of the rolling stock passing over the rails will engage by its flange 29 the lever 28 and rock the same downwardly at one end so as to effect a longitudinal movement of the rack bar 25' and thereby rotate the dial plate 20 to bring the groove 2l int-o alignment with the slots 22 of the pots 15 and into alignment with the inner side of the rail 14'. Similarly, the dial plates in the other pots will be brought into alignment with the rails 13' and 14 respectively so that as the rolling stock passes over the diamond, the flanges in the wheels at opposite sides will engage in and ride through the grooves 21 and the slots 22. Projected diametrically of the stem 23is a pin 47 which engages in a slot 48 formed in the pot 15. Positioned in this slot 48 at opposite ends is a leaf spring 49 to relieve the pin 47 of the shock or sudden jar to which it might be subjected when the dial plate rotated to the limit of its positions of movement.

In the drawings I have illustrated one of the levers 28 mounted on the rail 14, this lever being the one which is operated when the rolling stock approaches the diamond as indicated from the right hand side of the drawing. On the rail 13 at the opposite side of the diamond there is indicated a lever 28 to be engaged by the flange of the wheel when the rolling stock approaches from the opposite side of the diamond. On the rail 12 there is indicated a lever 28 to be engaged by the flange of the wheel when the rolling stock approaches the diamond from the direction indicated by the top of the drawing, and on the rail 11 there is indicated a lever 28 to be engaged by the flange of the wheel when the rolling stock approaches from the direction indicated by the lower side of the drawing.

It is evident that when the dial plates are rotated to their proper'positi'on that a substantially uninterrupted surface is provided for the rolling stock to engage on, and that the spaced location of the rails is eliminated, thus obviating the noise and preventing the damage which results to the rolling stock and to the diamond from the pounding at the diamond.

The operation is one which is simple and effective. Since the rotation of the dial is mechanically effected, it is believed that the possibility of the device becoming disorganized or 'outof operation is reduced to minimum.

The operating mechanism may be enclosed by 'a housing having a cover swinga'bly mounted thereon if so desired.

It is believed evident, that, if desired, an operating lever 28 may be positioned on each of the rails at each side, thus assuring'an operation of the device should, for any reason, the operating mechanism along one rail become defective.

It is also believed obvious that thefdevice may be constructed inunits of any desired number, and installed at crossings where a large number of tracks cross instead of where single tracks are crossed.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of structure shown, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims. I

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire'to 'secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A railroad diamond of the class described, comprising: a plurality of sets of rails directed across each other; a pot formed at the juncture of each of said rails, centrally thereof, said pot having 'a plurality of open slots formed in its upper edge, a pair of said slots being in alignment with each other and in alignment with the inner surface of said rails directed therethrojugh, a plate rotatably mounted in said pot and having in its upper surface a chordallydirected groove adapted for movement into registration with either set of slots; means for moving said plate into position for bringing the groove formed therein into registration With the inner surface of either of the rails directed through the pot in Which positioned; and yieldable means for resisting movement of said plate from one position to another.

2. In a device of the class described, a conical pot having a recess formed therein; a plate rotatably mounted in said recess and engaging snugly therein, said plate having a slot formed in its upper surface adapted for registration With a pair of slots formed in the upper edge of said pot, said pot having a plurality of pairs of said slots; a rack bar slidably projected through said pot; a stem on said plate; teeth on said stem engaging said rack bar; and means on said stem for limiting rotative movement of said plate in either direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

GEORGE R. DOUGLAS. 

